TikTok is a popular social media platform known for its short-form videos. In recent years, TikTok has introduced live streaming features that allow users to broadcast live videos to their followers. Live streaming has become an increasingly popular way for brands and creators to engage with their audiences in real time. According to recent statistics, live streaming accounts for 21% of users’ time spent on TikTok.
What is TikTok Live?
TikTok Live allows users to broadcast live video streams to their followers in real-time. It provides a platform for creators to engage with their audience through live commentary, Q&As, challenges, performances, and more (Support.TikTok).
To go live on TikTok, users simply tap the “+” icon in the app and select “Live”. They can then title their broadcast, set privacy settings, and start streaming. Viewers can join the live video by following the user or getting notified when they go live. They can interact via live chat and show appreciation with virtual gifts. Creators earn diamonds when receiving gifts, which can be exchanged for cash rewards.
TikTok Live enables authentic connections between creators and fans. It provides a unique way to share real-time experiences, drive engagement, and grow an audience (Epidemic Sound). The interactive features and potential earnings also incentivize more users to broadcast live frequently.
Accessing Live Center
There are a few simple steps to access the Live Center on TikTok:
1. Open the TikTok app on your mobile device.
2. Tap the discover icon on the bottom toolbar to open the Discover page.
3. Swipe left on the Discover page to access the Live tab.
4. The Live tab is the TikTok Live Center where you can browse all live streams happening at the moment.
You can also access Live Center by tapping the LIVE text at the top of the For You or Following feeds. This will take you directly to the Live tab showing current live streams.
Additionally, if you have subscriptions set up, there is a Subscriptions tab within Live Center. This shows when your subscribed creators are streaming live (Source: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/how-to-find-live-center-on-tiktok).
Live Tab
The Live Tab on TikTok is where users can discover livestreams happening in real-time. This tab features a carousel of live videos from popular creators and topics. Users can scroll through to preview livestreams and tap on any video to enter the live and start interacting.
To access the Live Tab, simply tap on the “LIVE” icon on the bottom navigation bar in the TikTok app. This will open up the tab and start playing live videos.
The Live Tab shows livestreams currently happening, sorted by popularity and relevance. TikTok’s algorithm detects rising livestreams and surfaces those to users. Popular creators and trending topics often appear at the top.
From the Live Tab, users can like and share live videos, follow broadcasters, and send gifts and comments. It’s a place to easily find and jump into the most buzzworthy live content on TikTok.
Overall, the Live Tab gives users instant access to TikTok’s lively real-time streaming community. It lets anyone watch, interact with, and participate in the platform’s popular live broadcasts.[https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/what-to-know-about-live/live-product-features/]
For You Tab
The For You tab on TikTok is the main feed that shows a never-ending stream of recommended videos based on your interests and engagement. TikTok’s algorithm personalizes the For You feed to each user, aiming to show content that is most relevant to them. According to TikTok, the more a user interacts with videos, the better the algorithm gets at recommending engaging content.
The For You feed regularly surfaces popular live videos based on your interests and past engagement. For example, if you commonly watch live cooking videos, you may see more recommended live cooking broadcasts on your For You feed. TikTok aims to showcase the most engaging live content on the For You tab to keep users entertained.
You can also search for live videos on topics you’re interested in directly from the For You tab search bar. This allows you to easily find relevant live content without having to follow specific accounts.
In summary, the For You tab uses TikTok’s personalized recommendation algorithm to surface the most engaging live broadcasts for each user. Checking the For You feed regularly is a great way to discover new live content you’ll enjoy.
Following Tab
The Following tab on TikTok is dedicated to showing you live videos and other content from the accounts you follow. When you open this tab, you’ll see a feed of the most recent live streams, regular videos, and posts from the creators, friends, and other accounts you follow on TikTok (Source).
The Following feed focuses on the accounts you choose to follow, so it provides a more personalized experience compared to the main For You feed. Here, you can easily discover new live streams and other fresh content from your favorite creators. The feed is constantly updated in real-time as those you follow go live or post new videos.
Using the Following tab is a great way to keep up with the livestreams and latest posts from the people and accounts most relevant to your interests. It allows you to easily see the newest live broadcasts and content from those creators you care most about following, all in one place.
Subscriptions
TikTok introduced live subscriptions in May 2022 as a way for creators to monetize their livestreams and develop a closer relationship with fans. Live subscriptions provide exclusive perks to subscribers, including access to subscriber-only chats, custom emojis and badges, and the ability to gift more expensive virtual items to the creator during a livestream (source).
To utilize live subscriptions, creators must first be invited by TikTok and have at least 1,000 followers. There are three subscription tiers available – $0.99, $4.99, and $9.99 per month. Subscribers gain access to exclusive livestreams, including subscriber-only live events. They can also support creators through monthly recurring payments and gain recognition through special badges displayed on their profile (source).
Fans can subscribe to their favorite creators directly from the creator’s profile or when the creator is livestreaming. Creators can check subscription status, manage subscribers, and view earnings in Creator Tools. Live subscriptions allow fans to become more invested in a creator’s content while enabling creators to build a steadier income stream.
Going Live
To start a livestream on TikTok, tap the create button (+) at the bottom of the app and select “LIVE” from the options. You’ll then be taken to the camera screen to prepare your broadcast.
Before officially going live, you can set a few options, like adding a title and description that will display to viewers. You can also choose to go live publicly or just to your followers. Public livestreams will be shown to all TikTok users in the Live feed, while follower-only livestreams are only viewable by your current followers.
Once you’re ready, tap the “Go LIVE” button at the bottom of the screen. Your live video will now be public for anyone to view. As a creator, you can interact with viewers in real-time through the live chat and see analytics on how many viewers have joined.
To end the livestream, simply tap the “End” button and your video will be concluded but still available for replay on your profile. Livestreams on TikTok currently max out at 4 hours.
According to one guide, going live on TikTok is easiest through the mobile app, as the desktop site requires meeting eligibility criteria like having 1000+ followers. However, mobile broadcasting is available to all users regardless of follower count, making it the most accessible format for creators to engage their audience in real time.
Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-go-live-on-tiktok/
Live Chat
One of the key features of TikTok Live is the ability to interact with viewers through live chat. Viewers can send comments, questions, and reactions in real-time during a livestream. The live chat appears on the right side of the screen when watching a live video.
According to TikTok’s Help Center, the broadcaster has control over managing comments during a livestream (source). They can choose to enable or disable comments before going live. Disabling comments means viewers cannot post reactions or questions in the chat. If enabled, the broadcaster can tap on “Settings” during the livestream to moderate comments. Options include toggling comments on/off, filtering by keywords, hiding specific comments, and blocking users from commenting.
Viewers do not have the ability to hide comments or block words. Their only options are to report inappropriate comments or block the user posting them. According to TikTok, live comments are not saved or accessible after a livestream ends (source). So the live chat is an ephemeral experience.
Conclusion
Going live on TikTok can help users gain an authentic connection with their followers through real-time engagement. The Live Center offers options to easily watch other creators livestreams or start broadcasting your own. While the Live Tab showcases popular live videos, the For You and Following feeds let you discover more personalized content. The integrated chat function allows viewers to interact directly with broadcasters. Overall, TikTok Live provides a fun way for creators to engage with their communities. Whether casually chatting or sharing breaking events, the platform facilitates natural, unedited moments between users.
